LIBYA Libya 6Andrea Bender, Rachel Schmieder-Gropen, Ravali Mukthineni The Flags of Libya
First National Flag of Libya (after independence from Italy) 1951-1969
The Libyan Arab Republic (coup by Gaddafi) 1969-1972
Libya joined the Federation of Arab Republics. The golden hawk on the flag is known as the Hawk of Querish.1972-1977
The Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1977-2011
Summary of this Wikipage Since its 1911 "liberation" from the Ottoman Empire by the Italians, Libya has undergone many changes in regards to its government, foreign and internal policies, and infrastructure. Its four-decade stint as an Italian colony was fraught with rebellion and a growing sense of national pride; today, Libyans treat Western Imperialism with distrust and resentfulness. Despite Libyans' desire for independence, Italy's domination over Libya greatly increased the richness of Libya's cultural diversity. Italian influence can be easily seen in Libyan architecture and customs; Italian, along with Arabic (the official language) and English, is widely spoken in Libya's major cities.
The Clock Tower in Tripoli is a striking testament to Italy's influence on Libyan culture and architecture. Libya became independent under King Idris al-Sanusi in 1951 and was officially renamed the Kingdom of Libya. The federal monarchy lasted only until 1969, when Colonel Muammar Gaddafi seized power in a bloodless coup d'état, but Libya's economy experienced steady growth over its duration. The discovery of immense reserves of hydrocarbons led to Libya's increasing reliance on oil as an export; 95% of Libya's trade revenues currently come from oil. Libya is arid and has poor farmland, and it imports most of its food. King Idris also established mutually beneficial relationships with powerful Western countries, especially the US, which was allowed to build a military base in Libya in exchange for trading benefits. When Gaddafi became what was essentially - although he pretended otherwise - a dictator, he nationalized the oil industry and squeezed greater profits from international oil companies. Wealth poured into Libya, but most of it did not reach the lower classes. Gaddafi also suppressed free speech and perpetrated numerous human rights violations - during last year's revolution, which ended in his death and the establishment of TNC, a transitional government, Gaddafi's supporters slaughtered anti-Gaddafi civilians - over the course of his forty-two year dictatorship. Libya's international relations were soured by its involvement in the Lockerbie bombings and several other terrorist incidents. Other problems, such as the one concerning the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor, caused Libya's foreign relations to change as well. Libya continues to mend relations with other countries as a result of issues like these that they have had in the 20th and 21st centuries. It also is attempting to transition to a democratic government. A timeline and explanation of important, major events of Libya can be found towards the bottom of the page. Although Gaddafi suppressed free speech, he made significant advances in women's rights and the availability of potable water. Like Benito Mussolini and King Idris al-Sanusi, Muammar Gaddafi brought both prosperity and oppression to Libya. Thanks to strong economic policies and extensive natural resources, Libya has experienced steady economic growth and relative political stability since 1911, and it is far wealthier than most of its neighbors. Although Libya is a developing nation and must experience significant advances before it achieves a universally acceptable standard of living, its current state is far better than that usually summoned by the words "developing nation".
Tripoli's Algeria Square Mosque, formerly a Catholic church and now a Muslim mosque, reflects Libya's strongly Islamic culture. A large majority of Libyans are Muslims; according to CIA World Factbook, approximately 97% of the population is Sunni. Maps of Libya 1.Modern Day Libya (left)
2.Libya 1900's (right)
Key Personnel Italy, claiming to be liberating Libyan Arabs from the Turks, took control of Libya by forcing the Ottoman Empire to sign the 1912 Treaty of Lausanne. The Libyans did not necessarily want to be liberated. Omar al-Mukhtar, the most famous of the rebel leaders, led uprisings for twenty years in the area around Benghazi. In 1928, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini authorized the unconstrained slaughter and deportation of Libyan rebels; tens of thousands of Libyans were killed, and the rebellion was crushed. When al-Mukhtar was captured and publicly hanged in 1931, he became a heroic martyr in the eyes of thousands of his followers.
Col Gaddafi wears a picture depicting the execution of Omar al-Mukhtar in Rome in 2009
Although it may have been unwise of Colonel Gaddafi to antagonize Italy, his choice of lapel ornaments reflected Omar al-Mukhtar's status as a national hero, Gaddafi's desire to achieve the same repute, and Libya's lingering distrust of Western Imperialism. Despite the bloodiness and discontent that characterized the first few years of Italian imperialism in Libya, many Libyans supported Italy - in fact, some joined the Italian army - in World War II, mostly due to Libya's Italian governor Italo Balbo's attempt to integrate Libyans and Italians. Mussolini gained the support of Libyans by presenting himself as a protector of Islam and industrializing Libya; he also supported pan-Arabism and the total colonization of Libya. Great Britain ousted the Italians and their German allies from Libya in 1943.
Mussolini
Benito Mussolini was a ruthless military leader, a charismatic speaker, and a cunning diplomat. Libya was occupied by the Allies until until 1951, when the Kingdom of Libya, a federal monarchy, was established under the rule of King Idris al-Sanusi, the former Emir of the territories of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. King Idris ruled the Kingdom of Libya until he was deposed by Col. Gaddafi in a military coup d'etat in 1969. Libya experienced steady economic growth under the leadership of King Idris, especially after the discovery of large oil reserves, but its agricultural infrastructure was weakened by the country's increasing dependence on oil. Idris established solid, mutually-beneficial relationships with Western countries, especially the United States, which was given permission to maintain military bases in Libya in exchange for economic aid.
King Idris al-Sanusi was delicate and sickly when he was deposed in 1969 by Gaddafi, who was then a handsome, healthy twenty-seven-year-old.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, born to nomadic Bedouin parents in Sirte, Libya, on June 7, 1942, ruled Libya as a military dictator for forty-two years. The military seized power from the ailing King Idris in a bloodless coup and named Gadddafi as chief of the armed forces on September 8, 1969. Gaddafi, who appointed himself Prime Minister in 1970 and effectively wielded near-absolute power, initially supported pan-Arabism - he would later endorse Islamic law and pan-Africanism - and sought to join federations composed of neighboring Arabic countries. He renamed Libya as the Libyan Arab Republic and led a "cultural revolution" in 1973. He pursued a socialist agenda in 1977, leading a "people's revolution," nationalizing the oil industry, and renaming Libya once again as the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
Montage of Col Gaddafi
Colonel Gaddafi had an infamously eccentric fashion sense and a penchant for grand, rambling speeches (given exclusively by Gaddafi himself). Libya was ostentatiously democratic under Gaddafi's rule. He boasted, "There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet" in an address to American academics in 2006. Gaddafi's brand of democracy, however, was different from Locke's. He described his political theories in the infamous Green Book, which was published in 1975 and became an instrument of oppression and government falsification for decades. The system outlined in the Green Book was called Jamahiriya and consisted of a general secretariat strongly influenced by democratic people's committes; in reality, Gaddafi suppressed free speech (although Gaddafi himself was known for his eccentric, rambling speeches) and forced Libyans to attend hollow, powerless committee meetings where a word spoken against Gaddafi's regime resulted in imprisonment or death. Gaddafi's fierce negotiations with oil companies resulted in oil production that economically benefited Libya, which has immense reserves of the so-called "black gold." His economic achievements, promotion of women's rights, and sponsorship of public works projects - notably the Great Man-Made River Project, which brings fresh, potable water to arid areas in southern Libya - certainly benefited Libya. However, his tendency to offend international organizations and leaders and the numerous human rights violations committed under his regime led to discontent.
Above is a satellite image of the Grand Omar Mukhtar, a man-made reservoir located near the city of Suluq. Carefully-irigated farmland is seen as bright red, and water is seen as dark blue. Gaddafi was killed by NTC (National Transitional Council) forces in last year's Libyan revolution. The news of his death was met with joy by the Libyan people. Libya is moving towards true democracy; the NTC, which is currently recognized by the United Nations as the Libyan governmental body, will hold power until the results of the presidential election are announced in June of 2012. Mustafa Muhammad Abd al-Jalil, the Chairman of the TNC, served as Gaddafi's Minister of Justice and stresses the importance of Islamic law.
New York Times: Libya- Revolution and Aftermath Summary:
On October 20th, 2011, Muammar el-Gaddafi was killed in his hometown when fighters gained control of Surt. He had ruled Libya for 40 years prior to his death, which people called “erratic leadership”. Local militia leaders refused to give up their weapons upon killing Gaddafi, to the new Transitional National Council to create a united authority power, as they are the “guardians of the revolution”, and want to have an impact in the new decisions made by the TNC (Transitional National Council). The TNC will elect a national assembly to write their new constitution in June 2012, as they felt that Gaddafi “was corrupt” and governed with a “repressive rule”. Many members of this national assembly want to elect Abdel Rahim el-Keeb, a Gaddafi connoisseur, as their new prime minister. In January, the TNC had started to create a law for their constitutional assembly, prohibiting former Gaddafi members to serve on the panel, and having 20 out of the 200 national assembly members be women.
BBC: Libya’s Oil Industry Improving Rapidly after War Summary:
Libya is one of the major sources of oil in the world, and ever since this year’s war attacked, the oil industry has been in decline at an increased rate. However, now that the war is over and Colonel Gaddafi is dead, the oil industry is well on its way back to the way it was before the war. Before the war, Libya’s oil industry was producing 1.6 million barrels of oil each day. Now after this conflict, Libya is producing about half (840,000) the barrels it was pre-war. The NOC (National Oil Company) “expects to be back at its pre-conflict output by the end of 2012”. Libya received much of its revenue from the oil industry. It’s expected that the oil revenue will pay for the damages done by the conflict. Nasser el Gahli Sharif, the chairman of Zawiya oil refinery, said that “Gaddafi destroyed the entire system in this country but he did not destroy the oil industry because that was where his money was”. Barrels were damaged, tanks had bullet holes in them, workers’ accommodation was looted, and their generators and monitors were damaged beyond repair, yet the industry has much confidence in its people and its oil, that it will be fully repaired and in superb condition come the end of 2012.
The Libyan revolution presented a painful dilemma to the Security Council of the United Nations. National sovereignty has been established time and time again as a sacred right of every nation, and the UN would rather not interfere in matters of civil conflict. However, the United Nations is responsible, to some degree, for the protection of civilians in times of warfare. In response to the violence perpetrated by Gaddafi's supporters against anti-Gaddafi civilians, the Security Council passed Resolution 1973, which established a no-fly zone in Libya and demanded an immediate ceasefire. Despite "[r]eaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya," the Security Council imposed several other restrictive measures on the Libyan government in an attempt to protect Libyan civilians and bring the conflict to a close.
Videos
National Anthem
Libya Today Primary Source "Having definitely liquidated Britain's armies on the European Continent, the war could not but assume a naval, air and, for us, also a colonial character. It is the geographic and historic order of things that the most difficult and most faraway theatres of war are reserved for Italy. War beyond the sea and in the desert. Our fronts stretch for thousands of kilometers and are thousands of kilometers away. Some ignorant foreign commentators should take due account of this. However, during the first four months of the war we were able to inflict grave naval, air and land blows to the forces of the British Empire.
Since 1935 the attention of our general staff has been focused on Libya. All the work of the Governors who succeeded each other in Libya was aimed at strengthening economically and militarily that large region, transforming the former desert or desert zones into fecund land. Miracles! This word is able to sum up what has been done down there. With European tension becoming graver, and following the events of 1935 and 1936, Libya, reconquered by Fascism, was considered one of the most delicate points in our general strategic setup, since it could be attacked from two fronts.
The effort carried out militarily to strengthen Libya is shown by these figures.
Only during the period that goes from Oct. 1, 1937, to Jan. 31, 1940, were sent to Libya 14,000 officers and 396,358 soldiers, and organized two armies-the fifth and tenth. This latter had ten divisions. In the same period were sent 1,924 cannon of all calibers and many of them of recent construction and model; 15,386 machine-guns; 11,000,000 rounds of shells; 1,344,287,275 bullets for light arms; 127,877 tons of engineers' materials; 779 tanks with a certain percentage of heavy tanks; 9,584 auto vehicles of various kinds; 4,809 motorcycles.
These figures show that to the preparation of the Libyan defense we devoted an effort which can be described as imposing. The same thing can be said as far as East Africa is concerned, where we were prepared to resist despite the distance and total isolation, which is a tribute to the will and courage of our soldiers. The soldiers who are fighting in the empire-without any hope of help-are farthest but therefore nearest our hearts. Commanded by the born soldier the Viceroy is and by a group of generals of great valor, the national and native soldiers will cause great trouble to the enemy.
It was during October and November that Great Britain gathered and lined up against us the mass of her imperial forces, recruited from three continents and armed by a fourth. She concentrated in Egypt fifteen divisions and a considerable mass of armored means and hurled them against our lines in Marmarica where on the first line were Libyan divisions, brave and faithful but unsuited to bear the attack of enemy machines. On Dec. g a battle was thus started, which was only five or ten days in advance of ours, and which brought the enemy to Bengazi.
We are not like the English. We boast that we are not like them. We haven't elevated lying into a government art nor into a narcotic for the people the way the London government has done. We call bread bread and wine wine, and when the enemy wins a battle it is useless and ridiculous to seek, as the English do in their incomparable hypocrisy, to deny or diminish it.
One entire army-the Tenth-was broken up almost completely with its men and cannon. The Fifth Air Squadron was literally sacrificed, almost entirely. Where possible we resisted strongly and furiously."
Above is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Premier Benito Mussolini in Rome on February 23, 1941. He admitted Italy's recent defeat at the hands of Great Britain, which ousted the Italians from Libya. According to the figures recited by Mussolini, Libya had been militarily vital to Italy, and Italy's loss of Libya as a colony and vital military base proved to be a turning point in the war, leading to the Allies' ultimate victory over Germany and Italy.
Timeline of Important Libyan Events Since the Ottoman Empire
1911-1912: Libya is conquered by Italy and Omar al-Mukhtar begins a 20-year rebellion against the Italian rule.
1934: Italy unites the Libyan provinces and plans to eventually incorporate Libya into a Greater Italy.
1951: Libya becomes independent under King Idris al-Sanusi.
1961: King Idris opened a 104-mile pipeline which linked oil fields to the Mediterranean Sea and made it possible to export Libyan Oil for the first time.
1969: A military coup is led by Col Muammar Gaddafi, a follower of pan-Arabism, and he introduced state socialism by nationalizing most of the economic activity.
1973: Col Gaddafi declared a "cultural revolution". This included the creation of "people's committees" in schools, hospitals, administrative districts, and workplaces.
1988: US accused Libya of the 1988 Lockerbie plane bombing.
2000: September- Dozens of African immigrants were murdered by Libyan mobs in western Libya because the mobs were angry at the huge number of African laborers entering the country.
2003: Libya took responsibility for the Lockerbie plane bombing and signed a deal to compensate the families of the victims.
2011: 20 October- Col Gaddafi was killed and three days later the NTC (national transitional council) declared Libya to be "liberated". They also announced that elections would be held within six months along with the formation of a constitution.
20th Century & 21st Century Issues
Italy:1911-1943 ---- Italy conquers Libya and Omar al-Mukhtar begins his 20-year rebellion against Italian rule. The Italians united the provinces of Libya as the colony of Libya. Italy planned to eventually incorporate Libya into a Greater Italy. Allies banish the Italians from Libya, which then is divided among the French. The Italians release their hold on Libya in 1943 after they were defeated in World World II. Libya is then passed to UN administration and it finally becomes independent under King Idris al-Sanusi in 1951.
Col Gaddafi:1969-2011 ---- Col Muammar Gaddafi ousts King Idris and seizes Libya through a military coup. He began to advocate a new political system: the Third Universal Theory. Gaddafi pursued a pan-Arab agenda and introduced state socialism by nationalizing economic activity, such as the oil industry. In 1973 Gaddafi engaged in military operations in the Aozou Strip in northern Chad in order to gain access to minerals and and use to exert influence in Chadian politics; however, he was forced to retreat in 1987. In 1992 UN sanctions politically separated Gaddafi after the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. In 2003 Libya finally took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and signed a $2.7 billion deal to compensate the families of victims.
Lockerbie Bombing:1988-2003 In December of 1988 the Pan Am Flight 103 was supposed to fly from the London Heathrow airport to the JFK International Airport in New York but was destroyed by a bomb, which killed all 243 passengers and the 16 crew members. Parts of the plane then fell in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 11 people, destroying many houses, and causing about 270 fatalities. In 1992 the UN imposed sanctions on Libya in order to force it to hand over two suspected citizens for trial. These suspects were handed over in 1999 for a trial in the Netherlands under Scottish law. In 2001 the Special Scottish Court in the Netherlands found one of the Libyans, Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi, guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The other suspect,Al-Amin Khalifa Fahimah, was found innocent and then freed. In 2002 the US held a talk to mend relations with Libya after years where the the US accused Libya of sponsoring terrorism. In March of 2002 Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi loses his appeal and begins about a 20-year life sentence. In 2003 Libya decided to compensate the families of the Lockerbie bombing by signing a deal worth $2.7 billion and accepting responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing in a letter to the UN Security Council. Also, in December of 2003 Libya agreed abandon the development of weapons of mass destruction.
Nurses Sentenced:2004-2007 ---- Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor are sentenced to death because they infected over 400 children with HIV; their case goes to appeal. In 2005 the Supreme Court overturns the death penalties on these six people and a retrial is ordered. The death sentences for the six medical workers become a punishment of life in prison; however, they are freed shortly after a deal with the European Union.
Libya 6 Andrea Bender, Rachel Schmieder-Gropen, Ravali Mukthineni
The Flags of Libya
Summary of this Wikipage
Since its 1911 "liberation" from the Ottoman Empire by the Italians, Libya has undergone many changes in regards to its government, foreign and internal policies, and infrastructure. Its four-decade stint as an Italian colony was fraught with rebellion and a growing sense of national pride; today, Libyans treat Western Imperialism with distrust and resentfulness. Despite Libyans' desire for independence, Italy's domination over Libya greatly increased the richness of Libya's cultural diversity. Italian influence can be easily seen in Libyan architecture and customs; Italian, along with Arabic (the official language) and English, is widely spoken in Libya's major cities.
Libya became independent under King Idris al-Sanusi in 1951 and was officially renamed the Kingdom of Libya. The federal monarchy lasted only until 1969, when Colonel Muammar Gaddafi seized power in a bloodless coup d'état, but Libya's economy experienced steady growth over its duration. The discovery of immense reserves of hydrocarbons led to Libya's increasing reliance on oil as an export; 95% of Libya's trade revenues currently come from oil. Libya is arid and has poor farmland, and it imports most of its food. King Idris also established mutually beneficial relationships with powerful Western countries, especially the US, which was allowed to build a military base in Libya in exchange for trading benefits.
When Gaddafi became what was essentially - although he pretended otherwise - a dictator, he nationalized the oil industry and squeezed greater profits from international oil companies. Wealth poured into Libya, but most of it did not reach the lower classes. Gaddafi also suppressed free speech and perpetrated numerous human rights violations - during last year's revolution, which ended in his death and the establishment of TNC, a transitional government, Gaddafi's supporters slaughtered anti-Gaddafi civilians - over the course of his forty-two year dictatorship.
Libya's international relations were soured by its involvement in the Lockerbie bombings and several other terrorist incidents. Other problems, such as the one concerning the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor, caused Libya's foreign relations to change as well. Libya continues to mend relations with other countries as a result of issues like these that they have had in the 20th and 21st centuries. It also is attempting to transition to a democratic government. A timeline and explanation of important, major events of Libya can be found towards the bottom of the page.
Although Gaddafi suppressed free speech, he made significant advances in women's rights and the availability of potable water. Like Benito Mussolini and King Idris al-Sanusi, Muammar Gaddafi brought both prosperity and oppression to Libya. Thanks to strong economic policies and extensive natural resources, Libya has experienced steady economic growth and relative political stability since 1911, and it is far wealthier than most of its neighbors. Although Libya is a developing nation and must experience significant advances before it achieves a universally acceptable standard of living, its current state is far better than that usually summoned by the words "developing nation".
Maps of Libya
1.Modern Day Libya (left)
2.Libya 1900's (right)
Key Personnel
Italy, claiming to be liberating Libyan Arabs from the Turks, took control of Libya by forcing the Ottoman Empire to sign the 1912 Treaty of Lausanne. The Libyans did not necessarily want to be liberated. Omar al-Mukhtar, the most famous of the rebel leaders, led uprisings for twenty years in the area around Benghazi. In 1928, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini authorized the unconstrained slaughter and deportation of Libyan rebels; tens of thousands of Libyans were killed, and the rebellion was crushed. When al-Mukhtar was captured and publicly hanged in 1931, he became a heroic martyr in the eyes of thousands of his followers.
Despite the bloodiness and discontent that characterized the first few years of Italian imperialism in Libya, many Libyans supported Italy - in fact, some joined the Italian army - in World War II, mostly due to Libya's Italian governor Italo Balbo's attempt to integrate Libyans and Italians. Mussolini gained the support of Libyans by presenting himself as a protector of Islam and industrializing Libya; he also supported pan-Arabism and the total colonization of Libya. Great Britain ousted the Italians and their German allies from Libya in 1943.
Libya was occupied by the Allies until until 1951, when the Kingdom of Libya, a federal monarchy, was established under the rule of King Idris al-Sanusi, the former Emir of the territories of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. King Idris ruled the Kingdom of Libya until he was deposed by Col. Gaddafi in a military coup d'etat in 1969. Libya experienced steady economic growth under the leadership of King Idris, especially after the discovery of large oil reserves, but its agricultural infrastructure was weakened by the country's increasing dependence on oil. Idris established solid, mutually-beneficial relationships with Western countries, especially the United States, which was given permission to maintain military bases in Libya in exchange for economic aid.
King Idris al-Sanusi was delicate and sickly when he was deposed in 1969 by Gaddafi, who was then a handsome, healthy twenty-seven-year-old.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, born to nomadic Bedouin parents in Sirte, Libya, on June 7, 1942, ruled Libya as a military dictator for forty-two years. The military seized power from the ailing King Idris in a bloodless coup and named Gadddafi as chief of the armed forces on September 8, 1969. Gaddafi, who appointed himself Prime Minister in 1970 and effectively wielded near-absolute power, initially supported pan-Arabism - he would later endorse Islamic law and pan-Africanism - and sought to join federations composed of neighboring Arabic countries. He renamed Libya as the Libyan Arab Republic and led a "cultural revolution" in 1973. He pursued a socialist agenda in 1977, leading a "people's revolution," nationalizing the oil industry, and renaming Libya once again as the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
Libya was ostentatiously democratic under Gaddafi's rule. He boasted, "There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet" in an address to American academics in 2006. Gaddafi's brand of democracy, however, was different from Locke's. He described his political theories in the infamous Green Book, which was published in 1975 and became an instrument of oppression and government falsification for decades. The system outlined in the Green Book was called Jamahiriya and consisted of a general secretariat strongly influenced by democratic people's committes; in reality, Gaddafi suppressed free speech (although Gaddafi himself was known for his eccentric, rambling speeches) and forced Libyans to attend hollow, powerless committee meetings where a word spoken against Gaddafi's regime resulted in imprisonment or death.
Gaddafi's fierce negotiations with oil companies resulted in oil production that economically benefited Libya, which has immense reserves of the so-called "black gold." His economic achievements, promotion of women's rights, and sponsorship of public works projects - notably the Great Man-Made River Project, which brings fresh, potable water to arid areas in southern Libya - certainly benefited Libya. However, his tendency to offend international organizations and leaders and the numerous human rights violations committed under his regime led to discontent.
Gaddafi was killed by NTC (National Transitional Council) forces in last year's Libyan revolution. The news of his death was met with joy by the Libyan people. Libya is moving towards true democracy; the NTC, which is currently recognized by the United Nations as the Libyan governmental body, will hold power until the results of the presidential election are announced in June of 2012. Mustafa Muhammad Abd al-Jalil, the Chairman of the TNC, served as Gaddafi's Minister of Justice and stresses the importance of Islamic law.
News Articles about Libya
New York Times: Libya-Revolution and Aftermath
New York Times: Libya- Revolution and Aftermath
Summary:
On October 20th, 2011, Muammar el-Gaddafi was killed in his hometown when fighters gained control of Surt. He had ruled Libya for 40 years prior to his death, which people called “erratic leadership”. Local militia leaders refused to give up their weapons upon killing Gaddafi, to the new Transitional National Council to create a united authority power, as they are the “guardians of the revolution”, and want to have an impact in the new decisions made by the TNC (Transitional National Council). The TNC will elect a national assembly to write their new constitution in June 2012, as they felt that Gaddafi “was corrupt” and governed with a “repressive rule”. Many members of this national assembly want to elect Abdel Rahim el-Keeb, a Gaddafi connoisseur, as their new prime minister. In January, the TNC had started to create a law for their constitutional assembly, prohibiting former Gaddafi members to serve on the panel, and having 20 out of the 200 national assembly members be women.
Libya's oil Industry Improving Rapidly After War
BBC: Libya’s Oil Industry Improving Rapidly after War
Summary:
Libya is one of the major sources of oil in the world, and ever since this year’s war attacked, the oil industry has been in decline at an increased rate. However, now that the war is over and Colonel Gaddafi is dead, the oil industry is well on its way back to the way it was before the war. Before the war, Libya’s oil industry was producing 1.6 million barrels of oil each day. Now after this conflict, Libya is producing about half (840,000) the barrels it was pre-war. The NOC (National Oil Company) “expects to be back at its pre-conflict output by the end of 2012”. Libya received much of its revenue from the oil industry. It’s expected that the oil revenue will pay for the damages done by the conflict. Nasser el Gahli Sharif, the chairman of Zawiya oil refinery, said that “Gaddafi destroyed the entire system in this country but he did not destroy the oil industry because that was where his money was”. Barrels were damaged, tanks had bullet holes in them, workers’ accommodation was looted, and their generators and monitors were damaged beyond repair, yet the industry has much confidence in its people and its oil, that it will be fully repaired and in superb condition come the end of 2012.
Libya: UN Resolution on No-Fly Zone
BBC: Libya: UN Resolution on No-Fly Zone
Summary:
The Libyan revolution presented a painful dilemma to the Security Council of the United Nations. National sovereignty has been established time and time again as a sacred right of every nation, and the UN would rather not interfere in matters of civil conflict. However, the United Nations is responsible, to some degree, for the protection of civilians in times of warfare. In response to the violence perpetrated by Gaddafi's supporters against anti-Gaddafi civilians, the Security Council passed Resolution 1973, which established a no-fly zone in Libya and demanded an immediate ceasefire. Despite
"[r]eaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya," the Security Council imposed several other restrictive measures on the Libyan government in an attempt to protect Libyan civilians and bring the conflict to a close.
Videos
National Anthem
Libya Today
Primary Source
"Having definitely liquidated Britain's armies on the European Continent, the war could not but assume a naval, air and, for us, also a colonial character. It is the geographic and historic order of things that the most difficult and most faraway theatres of war are reserved for Italy. War beyond the sea and in the desert. Our fronts stretch for thousands of kilometers and are thousands of kilometers away. Some ignorant foreign commentators should take due account of this. However, during the first four months of the war we were able to inflict grave naval, air and land blows to the forces of the British Empire.
Since 1935 the attention of our general staff has been focused on Libya. All the work of the Governors who succeeded each other in Libya was aimed at strengthening economically and militarily that large region, transforming the former desert or desert zones into fecund land. Miracles! This word is able to sum up what has been done down there. With European tension becoming graver, and following the events of 1935 and 1936, Libya, reconquered by Fascism, was considered one of the most delicate points in our general strategic setup, since it could be attacked from two fronts.
The effort carried out militarily to strengthen Libya is shown by these figures.
Only during the period that goes from Oct. 1, 1937, to Jan. 31, 1940, were sent to Libya 14,000 officers and 396,358 soldiers, and organized two armies-the fifth and tenth. This latter had ten divisions. In the same period were sent 1,924 cannon of all calibers and many of them of recent construction and model; 15,386 machine-guns; 11,000,000 rounds of shells; 1,344,287,275 bullets for light arms; 127,877 tons of engineers' materials; 779 tanks with a certain percentage of heavy tanks; 9,584 auto vehicles of various kinds; 4,809 motorcycles.
These figures show that to the preparation of the Libyan defense we devoted an effort which can be described as imposing. The same thing can be said as far as East Africa is concerned, where we were prepared to resist despite the distance and total isolation, which is a tribute to the will and courage of our soldiers. The soldiers who are fighting in the empire-without any hope of help-are farthest but therefore nearest our hearts. Commanded by the born soldier the Viceroy is and by a group of generals of great valor, the national and native soldiers will cause great trouble to the enemy.
It was during October and November that Great Britain gathered and lined up against us the mass of her imperial forces, recruited from three continents and armed by a fourth. She concentrated in Egypt fifteen divisions and a considerable mass of armored means and hurled them against our lines in Marmarica where on the first line were Libyan divisions, brave and faithful but unsuited to bear the attack of enemy machines. On Dec. g a battle was thus started, which was only five or ten days in advance of ours, and which brought the enemy to Bengazi.
We are not like the English. We boast that we are not like them. We haven't elevated lying into a government art nor into a narcotic for the people the way the London government has done. We call bread bread and wine wine, and when the enemy wins a battle it is useless and ridiculous to seek, as the English do in their incomparable hypocrisy, to deny or diminish it.
One entire army-the Tenth-was broken up almost completely with its men and cannon. The Fifth Air Squadron was literally sacrificed, almost entirely. Where possible we resisted strongly and furiously."
Above is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Premier Benito Mussolini in Rome on February 23, 1941. He admitted Italy's recent defeat at the hands of Great Britain, which ousted the Italians from Libya. According to the figures recited by Mussolini, Libya had been militarily vital to Italy, and Italy's loss of Libya as a colony and vital military base proved to be a turning point in the war, leading to the Allies' ultimate victory over Germany and Italy.
Timeline of Important Libyan Events Since the Ottoman Empire
20th Century & 21st Century Issues
Italy: 1911-1943 ---- Italy conquers Libya and Omar al-Mukhtar begins his 20-year rebellion against Italian rule. The Italians united the provinces of Libya as the colony of Libya. Italy planned to eventually incorporate Libya into a Greater Italy. Allies banish the Italians from Libya, which then is divided among the French. The Italians release their hold on Libya in 1943 after they were defeated in World World II. Libya is then passed to UN administration and it finally becomes independent under King Idris al-Sanusi in 1951.
Col Gaddafi: 1969-2011 ---- Col Muammar Gaddafi ousts King Idris and seizes Libya through a military coup. He began to advocate a new political system: the Third Universal Theory. Gaddafi pursued a pan-Arab agenda and introduced state socialism by nationalizing economic activity, such as the oil industry. In 1973 Gaddafi engaged in military operations in the Aozou Strip in northern Chad in order to gain access to minerals and and use to exert influence in Chadian politics; however, he was forced to retreat in 1987. In 1992 UN sanctions politically separated Gaddafi after the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. In 2003 Libya finally took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and signed a $2.7 billion deal to compensate the families of victims.
Lockerbie Bombing: 1988-2003 In December of 1988 the Pan Am Flight 103 was supposed to fly from the London Heathrow airport to the JFK International Airport in New York but was destroyed by a bomb, which killed all 243 passengers and the 16 crew members. Parts of the plane then fell in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 11 people, destroying many houses, and causing about 270 fatalities. In 1992 the UN imposed sanctions on Libya in order to force it to hand over two suspected citizens for trial. These suspects were handed over in 1999 for a trial in the Netherlands under Scottish law. In 2001 the Special Scottish Court in the Netherlands found one of the Libyans, Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi, guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The other suspect,Al-Amin Khalifa Fahimah, was found innocent and then freed. In 2002 the US held a talk to mend relations with Libya after years where the the US accused Libya of sponsoring terrorism. In March of 2002 Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi loses his appeal and begins about a 20-year life sentence. In 2003 Libya decided to compensate the families of the Lockerbie bombing by signing a deal worth $2.7 billion and accepting responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing in a letter to the UN Security Council. Also, in December of 2003 Libya agreed abandon the development of weapons of mass destruction.
Nurses Sentenced: 2004-2007 ---- Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor are sentenced to death because they infected over 400 children with HIV; their case goes to appeal. In 2005 the Supreme Court overturns the death penalties on these six people and a retrial is ordered. The death sentences for the six medical workers become a punishment of life in prison; however, they are freed shortly after a deal with the European Union.
NTC (National Transitional Council): March 2011-Today ---- In March of 2011 the National Transitional Council (NTC) was formed in Benghazi and its goal was to was to overthrow Gaddafi and lead Libya towards a democratic government. The UN Security Council responded to Gaddafi's harsh military suppression against protesters by adopting the Resolution 1973. This commanded an instant ceasefire and empowered the international community to decree a no-fly zone over Libya. After a constant battle, anti-Gaddafi forces captured the capital, Tripoli, in August of 2011. Around mid-September the UN General Assembly voted to identify the NTC as the legitimate, temporary governing body of Libya. On October 23, 2011 the NTC officially declared Libya liberated after the death of Gaddafi and the defeat of the last remaining pro-Gaddafi stronghold. The NTC plans to move towards election, the formation of a constitution, and a new government.
Sources
http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1941/410223a.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12882213
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1065897.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9463380.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12688033
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ly.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-l/libya.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13755445
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12783819
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01874/g_1874638c.jpg
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Uploads/Graphics/338/02/338-0224225930-Lockerbie-bombing.jpg